Tooth cleaner



Patented Nov. 3, 1925.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM P. NIUKKANEN, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

TOOTH CLEANER.

Application filed October 26, 1921. Serial No. 510,609.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM P. NIUKKA- NEN, a citizen of Finland, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tooth Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tooth cleaners. One object is to provide such a device in which the brush is rotated continuously in one direction by the repeated depression of a finger lever manipulated easily by the forefinger of the operator. A further object is to provide a'device of this class provided with a paste trough that contains the tooth paste which is applied to the teeth by means of the rotary brush. A further object is to provide brush driving mechanism that is positive and efficient in operation and that can be impelled at any rate of speed desired.

Vith the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter fully described, pointed out in the appended claim and illustrated in the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this application and in which Fig. 1 is cross section through the housing for the brush-driving mechanism and is taken on line 11 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the device in side elevation.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on line 44 of Fig. 2.

Like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views.

My cleanercomprises the housing comprising the top 1 and base 2 connected by sides and ends to form, substantially, an oblong container. One of the ends may be left open if preferred and the top may, or may not, be left partly open to permit access to the interior. Within the housing is a casting comprising the spaced sides 3, the

base of the casting being secured to the base 2 of the housing and each side of the casting being substantially the shape of a right angle triangle. A lever 4 extends through a perforation in the housing top 1' and. is provided with the finger piece 5, the oppotain tooth paste.

site end of said lever being bent at right angle to its body portion and secured to a flat link 6 adapted for movement between the spaced sides of said casting as the bent end of the lever 4 moves over the hypothenuseof the casting 3. p

The end of the link 6 remote from the lever 4 is secured to the crank portion of a crank-shaft 7 the ends. of whichare journaled in the sides of the housing, a contractile spring 8 being secured to said link 6 also, adjacent its point of engagement with the crank shaft, said spring 8 being anchored to a lug 9 secured to one corner of the housing.

A bevel gear 10 fast upon the crank shaft 7, within the housing, is in mesh with a bevel pinion 11 at one shaft 12, said shaft being journaled in a U-shaped bearing 13 arranged'uponthe base of the housing, said brush shaft extending through a perforation in one end of the housing and finding terminal support in one end of the trough 14, said trough being secured to and supported by one end of the housing.

trough 14 which member is adapted to conplied the trough with tooth paste inserts the trough 14 in his mouth placing the brush against the teeth to be cleansed. He now depresses the lever 4, by means of the finger piece '5, causing it casting 8 thus, through the mediumof link 6, rotating the shafts 7 and 12. The spring 8 returns the lever to original position after each down stroke of the same into the housing. 7

What is claimed is I In a tooth cleaner, a housing, a casting within said housing comprising spaced triangular sides, an oscillating lever having one bent end and adapted for movement over one of the sides of said casting and through the top of said housing, a crank shaft arranged in saidhousing, a link connecting said lever and crank shaft, and a spring connecting said link and housing.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature.

WILLIAM P. NIUKKA-NEN.

end of the brush A brush 15 ar ranged upon the shaft 12 rotates in the The operator having sup- 1 to be oscillated over the 

